Abstract
The present work aims at the development and characterization of carbon/polymer matrix nanocomposites, which will be able to operate as compact materials systems for energy storage and harvesting. Series of polymer nanocomposites employing different types of carbon allotropes (carbon black nanoparticles, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, graphene nanoplatelets and nanodiamonds) were developed varying the filler type and content. The energy storage ability of the systems was examined under AC and DC conditions to evaluate the influence of temperature, DC voltage and different types of filler content upon the stored and harvested energy. Experimental data confirmed the ability of the examined systems to store energy and release it on demand via a fast charge/discharge process. The addition of carbon nanoparticles significantly enhances the energy density of the systems. The coefficient of energy efficiency (neff) was determined for all systems, reaching up to 80% for the nanocomposite with 5 phr (parts per hundred resin per mass) carbon black content. In order to examine the optimal operational conditions of the systems, their structural integrity and thermomechanical properties were also investigated by means of static tensile tests, Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC).
Highlights
The social challenges of resource depletion and climate change call for a cleaner, more efficient use of resources and energy
The need for energy efficiency is leading to the introduction of novel and improved materials and the design of new low-cost, low-weight and environmentally friendly device structures that can harvest and/or store and/or convert energy with higher efficiency
Polymer nanocomposites are considered to be advanced technological materials in the fields of electronics, aviation, automobile and aerospace industries [5,6] due to their low weight, low cost, easy processing and remarkable mechanical, thermal, electrical and magnetic properties that can be effectively tailored by controlling the filler type and content [7,8,9,10]
Summary
The social challenges of resource depletion and climate change call for a cleaner, more efficient use of resources and energy. The need for energy efficiency is leading to the introduction of novel and improved materials and the design of new low-cost, low-weight and environmentally friendly device structures that can harvest and/or store and/or convert energy with higher efficiency. By these means, increased autonomy and support for diverse applications within mobile devices that range from portable (or even wearable) electronics to hybrid electric vehicles can be achieved [1]. Dispersed ceramic nanoparticles inside the polymer matrix can act as a distributed network of nanocapacitors where energy can be stored and harvested via a fast charge/discharge process [8,12,13]
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